Classic 1939 Packards Are Beautiful Cars But Terrible Swimmers

If you want to show off your prized classic car, a slick photo shoot is a must. Whether you line up on a twisty mountain pass to snap the shots, an abandoned automotive plant that may be from the same era as your car, or a boat ramp offering idyllic view out over a lake, shots like this are sure to make your classic really pop. If you decide the boat ramp is your ideal photo setting, make sure your brakes are in tip top condition before parking up near any large body of water, or disaster could strike.

Sadly, that’s what one California classic car fan found out this week, when they parked up their 1939 Packard sedan for a photo shoot on the side of a lake. While the car was in prime position for its moment in the sun, the came free from its earthly shackles and rolled into the lake below, report Mercury News.

The car, which could be worth as much as $40,000, rolled off a boat ramp in Canyon Lake and into the water below. It ended up in about 20-feet of water and fully submerged, risking its interior, electrics and engine. As Mercury News explains:

The Fire Department received a call from the property owners association just before 8 a.m.

Security workers had noticed an oily sheen on the Riverside County reservoir and reviewed surveillance video for clues. They saw the Packard disappear beneath the surface, Canyon Lake Fire Chief Jeff LaTendresse said.

Canyon Lake firefighters noticed bubbles as well as oil and, worried that someone was inside, requested assistance from Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department and the Riverside County sheriff’s dive team.

When the car’s owner arrived on the scene to see their car up to its roof in lake water, firefighters told Mercury News that they were “very emotional” at the sight. The owner also explained to officers that the car was empty, so a planned water rescue mission from the fire service was called off.

This meant firefighters just had to focus on retrieving the car from its new watery home, which reportedly took “several hours.” In the process, officers needed to address an oil spill on the lake, so the local water company was notified, reports Canyon Lake Insider.

Booms had to be put up around the spill to contain the oil, which further complicated the removal of the car. However, it was soon hauled out of the water and taken off for inspectors to analyze the damage. There were no reports of injury through the whole ordeal.